Some of the bills in response to former Michigan State University sports doctor are on their way to Govenror Snyder. Kalamazoo County gets a state grant for its Consolidated Dispatch Authority. Kalamazoo opens the minor league baseball season with a win, while Battle Creek loses on the road.
Two bills in response to the Larry Nassar scandal are headed to the governor’s desk. Nassar is the former Michigan State University sports doctor who sexually assaulted his young, female patients for years. The legislation would increase the amount of time a child victim of sexual assault would have to sue in civil court. It would also give prosecutors more time to file charges in those cases. The bills passed almost unanimously. But some senators who voted yes spoke out against changes the House made to their original bills. They called the final versions watered down because they don’t give victims as much time as the original versions. There are dozens of other bills in response to Nassar working their way through the Legislature. Those bills received key votes last week and are now waiting for action from the Senate.
Kalamazoo County's new consolidated 911 emergency dispatching system has won a large state grant. MLive says the County's Dispatch Authority will get nearly two million dollars from Lansing. In all, the system will get grants of three-point-seven million dollars. The new system will handle dispatching for police and fire services in Kalamazoo, Portage, Kalamazoo Township, Western Michigan University, and the County Sheriff. The money will be used for new equipment and technology.
A proposal to allow all workers in Michigan to earn paid sick time has gathered enough signatures to be included on the ballot in November. The Earned Sick Time Act would allow employees to earn an hour of paid sick time for every thirty hours worked. The co-chair of the MI Time to Care campaign Danielle Atkinson says the proposal would allow individuals to work and earn one hour of sick time for every thirty worked and it would be capped at seven days in a year. The Earned Sick Time Act would also prohibit employers from punishing workers for using their sick time. (Michigan Radio)
Many of Michigan’s 600,000 deer hunters are anticipating changes to regulations before the next season opens. The state Department of Natural Resources is taking significant steps to try to stop the spread of a neurological condition called “Chronic Wasting Disease”. 26 states have identified the easily spread, and deadly disease. Wildlife biologists in the State of Wyoming say its killing 1 out of 2 wild deer in that state. More than 700 hunters across Michigan participated at public hearings about the disease last month.
Tuesday was opening night for the Northwoods League. Kalamazoo started the minor league baseball season with a 4-3 win over Lakeshore. The Growlers scored all of their runs in the eighth inning. Kalamazoo will host the Chinooks again Wednesday morning at Homer Stryker Field. Battle Creek lost at Kenosha 7-6. The Bombers committed six errors in the loss. Battle Creek will complete its two game series with the Kingfish Wednesday night.